I'm On My Way
by Pongo0614
Summary: Merlin has escaped the Sarrum and is just starting his recovery. With Morgana and Aithusa by his side, can he find a place where they can be free or is it just another wonderful dream? Sequel to Prisoner


_There was quite a overwhelming result. Basically all of you wanted a sequel (please note my better spelling). So as I have had the last few days off work (which has been a relief), I have managed to sort of plan and write this._

 _This isn't going to be the only story but I think this will be what everyone would want first off._ _Going to try and write another story in this series (hopefully, by the time you are reading this, I would have started to write it). It has been sort of planned and hopefully won't be hard to write. The hardest part will be finding the songs._

 _Anyway, I hope that this is all that you wanted._

 _Thank you for all the reviews on Prisoner._

* * *

 **I'm On My Way**

 **I'm on my way from misery to happiness today  
I'm on my way to what I want from this world  
And years from now you'll make it to the next world**

 _I'm On My Way by The Proclaimers_

They had given up a while back to try and keep dry. The morning had been nice but ever since they had started walking again after having something to eat around midday, it had rained and before they knew it, they were soaked through. Their companion had tired her hardest to keep them dry but was now trying to keep herself warm against the elements.

It was a bitterly cold rain but they didn't rush as the tavern came into sight. Firstly they had to find somewhere that their companion could stay without causing to much attention. She slipped off the man's shoulders as they passed a little disused barn.

They carried on their journey to the tavern and was grateful for the warmth that hit them as they entered. They shook off their wet cloaks before Merlin motioned to Morgana to find a table for them. He went straight to the bar to ask for two meals and a room.

The man mentioned that they were overcrowded but he had one spare bed. Merlin told him that they would take it and he would just sleep on the floor, if it was alright with him. The man gave him a look that Merlin knew that he thought that Morgana was his wife and not just travelling companion. They had it nearly everywhere they went.

The man passed over two plates and Merlin took them before looking around for Morgana. He was surprised to see her sitting with Gwaine.

Merlin swallowed before taking a shaky breath. He quickly glance over at all of the other occupants but Gwaine was the only familiar face. He forced his feet to take the steps towards the table, telling himself that he was being stupid.

Gwaine smiled up at him when he reached the table.

"What are you doing here?" Merlin blurted out.

Morgana took the plates off him before pulling him down next to her. She leant over to him and whispered. "Calm down, he is here alone."

He tried his best to but with the memory of his imprisonment with the Sarrum still fresh in his mind, any reminder of how badly he had been let down by Arthur brought them all up.

"I left him Merlin."

Merlin looked up at Gwaine.

He gave him a small side smile. "I saw you being taken away and I asked him why he said you had magic and I told him so. He obviously didn't like my answer or me questioning him so just told me to drop it. So I balled up my cloak and gave it back to him. You brought me back to Camelot and you were the reason I stayed."

"Why?" Merlin questioned. "Why leave?"

Gwaine knew that he had answered his question but he answered it again anyway. This man in front of him wasn't the same person he knew. "Because you know me. I don't like nobles at the best of times. You're my friend Merlin. I tried to become part of the Sarrum's guard but he would just recognise me. He thought that Arthur sent me until, I guess, Arthur told him otherwise and he told me the next time I showed up, he would have me killed."

"I wouldn't put it past him." He muttered

"Merlin, I cannot … actually I don't want to think what you could have gone through." Gwaine continued. "The fact that you have escaped and with Morgana tells me that you aren't going to return back to Camelot and Arthur."

They sat in silence for a bit before Morgana nudged Merlin. "Tell him."

"Tell me what?" Gwaine said after he took a swig of his drink.

"We are trying to find a place where we can be free." Merlin told him.

"Sounds like fun."

Merlin knew that he shouldn't have freak out when he saw Gwaine now. The question slipped out of his mouth before he had properly thought over it. "Why don't you come with us?"

Gwaine lifted his eyebrow and Merlin turned to Morgana, worrying he had said something wrong.

"I suppose we are picking up anyone that feels the same way. Why not?" She commented.

"I'm in then."

* * *

Morgana rolled her eyes at Merlin as Gwaine started another story. He had warned her that he did like the sound of his own voice but she didn't realise that he loved the sound of his own voice. The man wouldn't shut up for more than two seconds.

Although, she wouldn't have stopped him from coming. Merlin wanted him and it was nice to see him smile again, properly. She knew that he was forcing the smiles he gave to her, not because they were still enemies but because she knew what he had been through. He must have know that she could see through it.

It seemed like a complete coincidence when they crossed paths with a druid camp. They all looked like they had seen better days and the man, who was leading them, stopped to tell them about how their camp had been attack and all that were with him were all that survived.

She watched as Merlin's eyes glazed over and she couldn't stop herself from grabbed his hand and asking him if he was alright. He gave her a nod before a series of shakes. Of course he wasn't.

The leader of the camp quickly made his way to the front and exclaimed. "Emrys."

Merlin shook the man's hand while he listened to him say how much of an honour it was to met him.

Morgana shared a look of disbelief with Gwaine. When Merlin had explained everything about his magic and destiny to her, he had obviously forgotten the whole Emrys part. She had no idea what was going on.

The man then turned to her. He told her about how much she looked like her mother and how her father's death had saddened him. She had forgotten that the world still saw her as Gorlois' daughter and closed her mouth before the question of why fell out. She heard more about her mother in the few moments that the man had spoken to her than she had ever heard from Gorlois.

The druid leader turned back to Merlin. "But it has always been talked about you and Camelot. You are rather far from Camelot."

Merlin chuckled to hide his nerves. Morgana had realised it was just a thing he did.

"Camelot may not be the great kingdom it should be. We are trying to find one where we can be free."

"Mind if we join?" The first man asked. "That is all we have ever wanted in our lives."

* * *

A large group of people must have looked suspicious and even Morgana's hand in his couldn't stop the panic rising up in him as the group of knights made they way closer to them. They slowed down as they approached them. They stopped next to them and Merlin started to realise that they may not be there to arrest them.

The man in the middle of the group, jumped off his horse before giving the reins over to one of the guards, thanking him when he took them. He walked up to Merlin and held out his hand.

"Welcome to Ireadal." He spoke proudly.

He was the same height as Merlin. He had light brown hair and brown eyes. It was clear that he was a warrior of some kind by his build. He was handsome and Merlin was sure he could get any woman he wanted.

Merlin blinked at him. Aithusa quickly made her way through the group and climbed up onto his shoulder. Merlin expected the knight to unsheathe but they didn't.

The man laughed. "Oh goddess. I have never seen a white dragon. I heard they are rare."

"Thank you." Morgana said. "Sorry."

"There is no need to apologise." He said. "Your husband looks like he has been through a lot."

"He's not my husband."

"Then I apologise for assuming. I'm Tobias."

Morgana looked up at Merlin to see whether he was going to speak or whether she had to do it all. "I'm Morgana and this is ..."

"Emrys." Merlin blurted out. "I'm Emrys."

Tobias smiled widely at him. "Emrys? Really? Oh the goddess." He took Merlin's free hand. "It is an honour to met you. I have heard all about you since the cot. Actually this is more than an honour, this is … I never expected to met you."

"Milord?" One of the guards said.

He turned to him. "I will walk back with them. Go ahead and tell my father that we have guests."

"Milord are you sure that is a good idea?"

"Ingeram, I am with Emrys. I am sure we will be fine."

"If you are sure."

"Of course I am sure."

The knights turned their horses around and headed back to the city.

"Come on. I will tell you everything you need to know about Ireadal."

* * *

"Father." Tobias exclaimed happily.

"Tobias, you know the threats that we have had. How could you be so foolish?"

"Didn't they explain to you?"

The older man sighed heavily. He slumped back into his throne. "All they said is that you had decided to walk a group of people back to the city. I have been sick with worry."

"Sorry father. Then let me introduce Gwaine, Morgana and Emrys."

The King's head lifted up at the names. "Gwaine as in Strength."

Tobias nodded in agreement.

"Morgana as in Morgana Le Fay, daughter of Vivienne."

"I may only have seen paintings of her but she does look a lot like her."

"And Emrys as in ..."

"Yes Father."

The King took in the three other occupants in the room. "Oh the goddess has been kind."

"What the hell just happened?" Gwaine whispered.

"I don't think its just Merlin that has been spoken about since the beginning of time." Morgana said.

"Tobias, bring them forward. Bring them a chair. For the love of the goddess, you do forget your manners sometimes." The King shouted at his son. "Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? We are at your disposal."

A few servants came rushing in and helped them set up a table before dressing it with food and drink. They all sat down. Morgana pulled her chair as close to Merlin's as she could.

"Would it be alright if Aithusa joined us?" Merlin asked.

"Aithusa?" The King asked.

"Oh the white dragon? I will bring her in." Tobias said running off.

"I swear sometimes he is still a child. I have just realised that I know your names but you don't know mine. I am Acelin."

"Then we thank you Acelin." Morgana said.

Aithusa walked straight over to Merlin when she entered the room and took her usually place, clinging on to his back. Merlin leant over and got a few bits of food and started to feed her some of the meat.

"She is beautiful. So what brings you to Ireadal?" Acelin said.

"We are looking for somewhere we can be free. Both Morgana and I have … faced isolation due to having to keep our magic a secret. Tobias has told us of the freedom of it here. Just to be able to say that we have magic is a relief. Gwaine is just trying to find someone that can show him that not all nobles are arrogant idiots."

"I wouldn't have used the word idiot." Gwaine commented.

"Well then we can give that to you in Ireadal. We will teach you everything you want. We will make sure that you never feel undervalued again." Acelin laughed. "There could even be a place in my court for you all."

Merlin looked over at Morgana. She grabbed his hand. They would talk over it later.

* * *

They were shown their rooms and they were introduced to the Queen before Tobias took them on a quick tour. Everything started to calm down as night fell.

Merlin stared out of the window over this new kingdom they had found. It offered so much to them.

"Merlin?"

He turned to see Morgana, already in the nightgown that they had provided for her. He walked over to the fire and dropped into one of the chairs next to it. Morgana copied him.

"Can I ask one thing of you?" He asked.

"Anything."

He turned to her. "In private, you can call me Merlin but in public, please could you call me Emrys. I just ..."

"I understand." She reached for his hand.

"What do you think of Ireadal?"

"It sounds like the place you wanted to find." She paused. "Do you want you want to serve under another King?"

"Not to begin with. I had almost given up hope. I thought about telling you that the next abandoned village we came across, we were stopping and making our own place. We could be happy here." Merlin wiped his eyes. "I don't think he is another ..."

Morgana stood up and knelt down in front of him. "No he's not. But if he ever even has one hint that he will turn that way, we will be out of here. I know that you have put all your faith and trust in me and you must know that I am getting that way too. Trust me, Merlin. I will _never_ allow that to happen to you again."

"Could you stay?" Merlin asked. "Just for tonight."

She smiled at him. "Why do you think I got changed before I came to see you?" She gently pulled on his hands to get him up before she walked over to the bed.

He smiled before following her and getting in next to her. "This feels a little weird."

"I know. It is so comfortable."

Merlin moved closer to her and she wrapped her arms around him.

"We are good now, aren't we Morgana? You don't blame me any more."

"Oh Merlin, we have been good for a while now."

Maybe they could be happy in Ireadal. Maybe this was the place that they had always dreamed of. Maybe this was the place that Camelot could have been.


End file.
